Self-heating smoothing-iron.



C. L. V. MUNDHE'NK. SELF HEATING SMOOTHING IRON.

APPLICATION FILED APR-25,1914.

Patented Feb. 8,1916.

SHEETS-SHEET 1.

i Clemeivl'fl C. L. V. MUNDHENK. SELF HEATING SMOOTHING IRON.APPLICATlON FILED APR- 25. 1914.

Patented Feb. 8', 1916.

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CLEMENT L. V. MUNDI-IENK, DAYTON, OHIO.

SELF-HEATING SMOOTI-IING-IRON.

Specif cation of Letters Patent.

Patented. Feb. 8, 1916.

Application filed April 25, 1914. Serial No. 834,367.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLEMENT L. V. MUNDHENK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-HeatingSmoothing-Irons, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to self heating smoothing irons and moreparticularly to that type of iron which employs gasolene for fuel.

The object of the invention is to provide a smoothing iron of thischaracter which will be safe, of a compact character so that it will beeasy to handle, and in which the burner and fuel supply will be of sucha character that they may be used separately from the iron itself.

To this end it is an object of the invention to mount the several partsconstituting the heating device upon a supporting device which can bereadily attached to and removed from the iron; to so connect the fueltank with the supporting device that while the tank will be supportedclose to the iron the only direct connection will be a comparativelylong tube,'thereby materially reducing the possibility of the tankbecoming unduly heated; and further, to so con-' struot the fueltankthat it will satisfac and to cause the tubes to be always amplyheated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view, partly in sectionand partly in elevation, of a smoothing iron embodying my invention;Fig. 2 is a transverse, sectional view, taken on the line b b of Fig. 1and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 8 is a plan view of thebody portion of the iron showing a modified form of burner; Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the burner mounted on a support and constituting astove; and Fig. 5 is a detail, perspective view of the convertiblesupport for the iron and for the burner.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention andhave.

shown the same as comprising a body portion or iron proper having a base1 and an upwardly extending wall or flange 2 arranged about the edge ofthe iron but spaced a short distance away from the rear end thereof topermit of the forming of a recess or priming cup 8. Mounted upon thisbody portion and detachably secured thereto is a top plate 4: on whichis mounted a handle 5. The'top plate is detachably secured to the bodyportion in any suitable manner. Mounted within the body portion abovethe base 1 and between the side portions of the Wall 2 is a burner 6which is so arranged that the flame will be directed downwardly againstthe base 1. The base, as here shown, is thickened near its centralportion to provide a more even distribution of the heat. Thisconstruction of the base, as well. as the manner of securing the top tothe body portion thereof, do not form parts of the present invention butare described and claimed in a'co-pending application filed April 25,1914,'Ser. No. 834,366.

The burner 6 may be of any suitable character and in the presentdrawings I have illustrated two forms of burner. In Figs. 1 and 2 theburner is in the form of a straight, hollow bar having apertures in thelower wall thereof. This bar is connected at its rear end with asupporting device 7 which is mounted on the wall of the body portion ofthe iron and which, in the present instance, comprises a plate havingits lateral edges converging downwardly and mounted in grooves 8 formedin the edges of a recess which is formed in the rear portion of the wallof the iron. The burner is provided with an inlet port 9 projectingbeyond the plate 7 and arranged'in alinement with a vapor dischargenozzle 10.

This nozzle is connected with a generating tube 11- which is alsocarried by the supporting device 7 and is connected at its other endwith the source of fuel supply. In that form of the burner shown inFigs. land 2 the ends of the generating tube 11 are mounted in thesupporting plate 7 above the burner 6 but are bent downwardly on the.inner side of the plate to position the.

body portion of the tube adjacent to the lower edge of the burner whereit will come directly in contact with the flame, thereby securing averyefficient heating action. The fuel tank, which is shown at 12, is alsocarried by the plate 7 and, to this end, the inlet end of the generatortube 11 is provided with a nipple in the form of an elbow 13 to which issecured an upwardly extending tube 14, the upper end of which is mountedin a cap or screw plug 15 and communicates with the interior of the tankthrough an opening 16 in said cap. The cap is also provided with an airinlet 17 which is controlled by a check valve 18 and is adapted to haveconnected thereto an air pump by means of which air may be compressed inthe tank to feed the fuel to the burner. To enable the fuel to be forcedout of the tank by the air which is compressed on top of the fuel a tube19 is connected to the port 16 and extends downwardly to a pointslightly above the bottom of the tank. Thus, practically all the fuelcan be forced out of the tank by the air therein but the sediment orimpurities which may settle to the bottom will not enter the feed tube.It will be apparent that the unscrewing of the plug or cap 15 willimmediately relieve the air pressure within the tank, therebyinterrupting the feed of the fuel to the burner and causing the flame todie out. Thus, before the tank can be separated from its cap to enablethe same to be filled the fire will necessarily have been extinguished.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings 1 have illustrated a modified form of thedevice in which the burner is shown at 20 in the form of an oval tubeconforming substantially in its shape to the interior shape of the bodyof the iron. lhis burner is also so arranged as to discharge the flamedirectly against the base of the iron and by giving the burner the ovalshape the flame is more evenly distributed over the surface of the iron.In this form of device the generating tube, which is here shown at 21,enters the supporting plate 7 below the level of the burner and extendsfor substantially its full length about the inner edge of the burnerwhere it is subjected to the full heat of the burner. It is desirablethat the burner be of such a character that it can be used independentlyof the iron as this gives it a much wider range of utility. Theremovable supporting device 7 permits the whole burner apparatus to beinstantly removed from the iron and by merely inverting the burner theflame may be directed upwardly. This, of course, inverts the fuel tankwhich is mounted in a fixed position with relation to the burner. Inorder, therefore, that the fuel may still be properly fed to the burnerby the compressed air I have provided the opening in the top of the tank12 with aninwardly eX- tending boss 22 which projects some distanceabove the head of the tank when the latter is in an inverted position.Consequently, all sediment and impurities will settle below the upperend of the boss and will not enter the port 16. It will be understoodthat the feed tube is removable and when it is desired to use the tankin an inverted position the tube is removed. To enable the burner to beused for miscellaneous heating purposes, that is, in the form of a smallgasolene stove, I provide a stand which is adapted to receive andsupport the burner in an operative position with the. flame directedupwardly. The stand consists of upper and lower plates 23 and 24connected by upright members 25 and is of a length substantially equalto or slightly greater than the length of the iron. The upper plate 23is provided with a longitudinal slot 26 arranged directly above theburner to permit the flame to pass upward therefrom. A spring 2'7 issupported by the lower plate 2% of the stand and bears against the lowerpart of the burner. In the present instance this spring is in the formof a leaf cut from the lower member 24 of the stand. The end of theburner projects slightly beyond the end of the slot 26 and when engagedby the spring 27, the end of the burner is forced into engagement withthe under surface of the upper plate 23. The supporting device 7 or thenipples mounted therein to receive the ends of the generating tube 11rest upon the rear portion of the lower plate 24 which is turned up, asshown at 28, to form a rest therefor. Preferably, the rear portion ofthe plate 9A is provided with a depression or recess 29 whichconstitutes a priming cup. This stand is preferably mounted uponsupporting devices, such as standards 30, which are here shown asdetachably secured to the stand. The standards are shown as each formedof a rod of metal bent into the desired shape and having its upper endbent at substantially right angles to the body portion thereof andadapted to enter sockets 31 formed on the under side of the lower plateof the stand. When the iron is being used as such the legs may beremoved from the stand and the latter used as a rest or stand for theiron, it being properly shaped for this purpose and the ends of the sidebars 25'being extended below and above the receptacle plates 23 and 24and forming feet upon which the stand is supported, in the one'instance,and stops to position the iron upon the rest in the other instance.

It will be noted that the tank is connected with the burner only by thesupply tube 14: and while this tube is so arranged as to support thetank close to the end of the iron,

the tank is in no place directly connected with the iron and the burnerexcept through the supply tube 14. This tube being of considerablelength and being connected with the top of the tank has opportunity toradiate the heat so that that portion thereof which is secured to thetank is much cooler than that end which is connected with the burner.Further, the 'upper portion of the tank is filled with air and this, ofcourse, is not materially affected by the heat. As a further safeguard Imay provide the tank with a foraminated tube 32 of a diametersubstantially equal to the diameter of the opening in the top of thetank and extending from the boss 22 to the bottom of the tank. This tubemay be formed of wire gauze and is of such a length that when placedabout the boss with its other end in engagement with the bottom of thetank, which is done during the assembling ofthe tank, it will be heldpermanently in position. Should the flame reach the open top of the tankin any way whatever this tube would materially reduce the probabilitiesof the gasolene exploding. This tube 32 is shown in Fig. 4 but isomitted from Fig. l in order to more clearly show the tube 19.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of the invention it willbe understood that this has been chosen for the purpose of illustrationonly and that I do not desire to be limited to the details ofconstruction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occurto a person skilled in the art.

The connecting device between the top plate 4 and the body of the iron,which is shown in Figs. 1 and 3, does not constitute a part of thepresent invention but forms the subject matter of a separate applicationfor patent filed by me April 25th, 1914:, Ser. N. 834,366.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, a burner adapted to besupported in one position to direct the flame upward and in anotherposition to direct the flame downward, a supporting device rigidlysecured to said burner, a supply tube rigidly secured to said supportingdevice and extending at substantially right angles to said burner, afuel tank rigidly connected at one end with said supply tube andextending alongside thereof, whereby said tank will be supported in anupright position when the burner is in a position to direct the flamedownward and will be inverted when the burner is in a position to directthe flame upward,

said tank having means to feed the fuel to the burner when the latter isin either of said positions.

2. In a smoothing iron, the combination with a hollow body portion and aburner adapted to be mounted therein, of a fuel tank having an openingin the upper end thereof, a cap to close said opening, said cap havingan outlet port, a supply tube rigidly secured to said cap, communicatingwithsaid port, connected with said burner and adapted to support saidcap and said tank, and means to support said burner and said supply tubein their proper positions relatively to said body portion.

3. In a smoothing iron, the combination, with a hollow body portion, anda burner mounted therein, of a fuel tank having an opening in the upperend thereof, a screwthreaded cap to close said opening, said cap havingan outlet port, and a supply tube rigidly secured to said cap, connectedwith said burner and adapted to support said cap and said tank in properrelation to said burner, said cap also having a valve-controlled airport to permit air to be pumped into said tank, whereby the movement ofsaid tank to disconnect the same from said cap will reliev the airpressure therein and interrupt the feed of the fuel to said burner.

4. In a smoothingiron, the combination, with a hollow body portionhaving a recess in the wall thereof at one end of said iron, of a burnermounted in said hollow body portion and arranged to direct the flamedownward, a supporting device secured to said burner, mounted in said.recess and having parts cooperating with said wall to retain the same inproper position relatively thereto, a generating tube carried by saidsupporting member and extending beneath said burner, a supply tubesecured to said supporting member and connected with said generatingtube and extending upwardly therefrom, a fuel tank having an opening inthe upper end thereof, a cap to close said opening, said cap beingrigidly secured to thereto, a generating tube carried by said supportingdevice and extending along said burner, a tube secured to saidsupporting device, connected with said generating tube and extendingupwardly therefrom, a fuel tank having an opening in the upper endthereof, a cap to close said opening, said cap being rigidly secured tosaid supply tube and having an outlet port communicating therewith, aboss extending inwardly about said outlet port, and a tube connectedwith said outlet port and extending to a point near the bottom of'saidtank.

&

6. The combination, with a burner, a supporting device to support saidburner either in a position to direct the flame upward or in apositionto direct the flame downward, a generating tube carried by saidsupporting device, and extending along said burner, a supply tubesecured to said supporting member, connected with said generating tubeand extending upwardly therefrom when said burner is in a position todirect the flame downward, a fuel tank having an opening in the upperend thereof, a cap to close said opening, said cap being rigidly securedto said supply tube and having an outlet port communicating therewith,and a tube of foraminous material surrounding said outlet port andextending from said cap to the opposite end of said tank.

7. The combination, with a burner, and a support plate rigidly securedto said burner, of a supply tube rigidly connected at one end to saidsupporting plate and extending upwardly from said burner, and a fueltank rigidly secured at its upper end to said supply tube and supportedthereby, said parts being adapted to be reversed to permit the flame ofsaid burner to be directed in the opposite direction, and said fuel tankhaving means to feed the fuel to said burner when said parts aresupported in either position.

8. The combination, with a burner, and a supporting plate rigidlysecured to said burner, of a supply tube rigidly secured to saidsupporting plate and extending upwardly therefrom, a fuel tankcomprising a removable cap, said cap being rigidly connected to saidsupply tube and having an opening to connect said tube with the interiorof said tank.

9. In a smoothing iron, the combination, with a hollow body portion, ofa burner comprising a hollow tube shaped to conform substantially to theinterior contour of the bodyportion of said iron but of smaller sizethan said body portion, said hollow tube having et openings in the lowerside thereof to direct the flame against the bottom of the body portionof said iron, and a generating tube supported beneath said burner andextending about the inner edge thereof.

10. The combination, with a burner, a supporting device rigidly securedto said burner, a generating tube secured to said supporting device andextending along said burner, and a supply pipe rigidly secured to saidsupporting device and communicating with said generator, of a fuel tankhaving an opening in one end thereof, a boss extending inwardly aboutsaid opening, a cap to close said opening, a rigid connection betweensaid supply tube and said cap, the latter having an opening to connectsaid supply tube with the interior of said tank, and a tube removablyattached to said cap, communicating with the opening therein andextending into said tank.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLEMENT L. V. MUNDHENK. Witnesses ALVAH S. BLODGETT,

W. O. MILLIKIN.

:Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing" the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

